Pathloss Reference Configuration in a Wireless Device and Base Station

1. A method for use by a base station, the method comprising: a) transmitting, to a wireless device, at least one message comprising: i) configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and ii) a transmission power pathloss reference employed for transmission power determination of uplink signals of a secondary cell, said transmission power pathloss reference: (1) being a configurable parameter if said secondary cell is in said primary cell group, said configurable parameter being configurable to one of the following: (a) a downlink of said secondary cell; and (b) a downlink of said primary cell; and (2) being only configurable as a downlink of said secondary cell if said secondary cell is in said secondary cell group; and b) receiving uplink signals in said secondary cell, transmission power of said uplink signals being determined, at least in part, employing a received power of downlink signals corresponding to said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to transmission of said at least one message: a) establishing a first signaling bearer between said base station and a wireless device, said establishing comprising said base station transmitting a message to said wireless device on said primary cell; and b) receiving, by said base station, a plurality of radio capability parameters from said wireless device on said first signaling bearer on said primary cell, said plurality of radio capability parameters indicating that said wireless device supports configuration of said plurality of cell groups.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one message further comprises a plurality of dedicated parameters comprising a time alignment timer value for each of said plurality of cell groups, said time alignment timer starting or restarting in response to said wireless device receiving a timing advance command to adjust uplink transmission timing of a commanded cell group in said plurality of cell groups.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one message further comprises a media access control dedicated information element comprising a sequence of at least one first information element, each of said at least one first information element comprising: a first cell group index of a first secondary cell group; and a first time alignment timer for said first secondary cell group.

5. A base station comprising: a) one or more communication interfaces; b) one or more processors; and c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said base station to: i) transmit, to a wireless device, at least one message comprising: (1) configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and (2) a transmission power pathloss reference employed for transmission power determination of uplink signals of a secondary cell, said transmission power pathloss reference: (a) being a configurable parameter if said secondary cell is in said primary cell group, said configurable parameter being configurable to one of the following: (i) a downlink of said secondary cell; and (ii) a downlink of said primary cell; and (b) being only configurable as a downlink of said secondary cell if said secondary cell is in said secondary cell group; and ii) receive uplink signals in said secondary cell, transmission power of said uplink signals being determined, at least in part, employing a received power of downlink signals corresponding to said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell.

6. The base station of claim 5 , wherein said at least one message comprises a plurality of common parameters, said plurality of common parameters comprising a plurality of power control parameters for transmission of a random access preamble on said secondary cell.

7. The base station of claim 6 , wherein said instructions further cause said base station to transmit a control command to said wireless device, said control command being: a) configurable to cause transmission of a first random access preamble on a secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and b) unconfigurable to cause transmission of a second random access preamble on any secondary cell in said primary cell group.

8. The base station of claim 7 , wherein said control command is configured to cause transmission of a random access preamble on random access resources of said secondary cell in said secondary cell group, transmission power of said random access preamble calculated employing: a) said received power of said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell; and b) said plurality of power control parameters in said at least one message.

9. The base station of claim 8 , wherein said at least one message comprises a plurality of dedicated parameters for each of said at least one secondary cell, wherein: a) if said plurality of dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for said secondary cell, said secondary cell is assigned to a secondary cell group identified by said cell group index; and b) otherwise, said secondary cell is assigned to said primary cell group.

10. The base station of claim 9 , wherein: a) said primary cell group comprises a first subset of said plurality of cells, said first subset comprising said primary cell, uplink signals transmitted by said wireless device in said primary cell group employing a first synchronization signal transmitted on said primary cell; and b) said secondary cell group comprises a second subset of said at least one secondary cell, said second subset comprising a reference secondary cell, uplink signals transmitted in said secondary cell group employing a second synchronization signal on said reference secondary cell as a secondary timing reference.

11. The base station of claim 10 , wherein said plurality of dedicated parameters further comprise: a) a cell group index for said secondary cell, said cell group index identifying one of a plurality of cell groups, said plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and b) a time alignment timer parameter for each cell group in said plurality of cell groups.

12. A wireless device comprising: a) one or more communication interfaces; b) one or more processors; and c) memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause said wireless device to: i) receive, from a base station, at least one message comprising: (1) configuration parameters of a plurality of cells comprising a primary cell and at least one secondary cell, said plurality of cells being grouped into a plurality of cell groups comprising a primary cell group and a secondary cell group; and (2) a transmission power pathloss reference employed for transmission power determination of uplink signals of a secondary cell, said transmission power pathloss reference: (a) being a configurable parameter if said secondary cell is in said primary cell group, said configurable parameter being configurable to one of the following: (i) a downlink of said secondary cell; and (ii) a downlink of said primary cell; and (b) being only configurable as a downlink of said secondary cell if said secondary cell is in said secondary cell group; and ii) transmit uplink signals in said secondary cell, transmission power of said uplink signals being determined, at least in part, employing a received power of downlink signals corresponding to said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell.

13. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein said at least one message comprises a plurality of common parameters, said plurality of common parameters comprising a plurality of power control parameters for transmission of a random access preamble on said secondary cell.

14. The wireless device of claim 13 , wherein said instructions further cause said wireless device to receive a control command from a base station, said control command being: a) configurable to cause transmission of a first random access preamble on a secondary cell in said secondary cell group; and b) unconfigurable to cause transmission of a second random access preamble on any secondary cell in said primary cell group.

15. The wireless device of claim 14 , wherein said control command is configured to cause transmission of a random access preamble on random access resources of said secondary cell in said secondary cell group, transmission power of said random access preamble calculated employing: a) said received power of said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell; and b) said plurality of power control parameters in said at least one message.

16. The wireless device of claim 15 , wherein said at least one message comprises a plurality of dedicated parameters for each of said at least one secondary cell, wherein: a) if said plurality of dedicated parameters comprise a cell group index for said secondary cell, said secondary cell is assigned to a secondary cell group identified by said cell group index; and b) otherwise, said secondary cell is assigned to said primary cell group.

17. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein said instructions further cause said wireless device to receive at least one timing advance command from said base station, said timing advance command comprising: a) a time adjustment value; and b) an index identifying said secondary cell group; and wherein said at least one timing advance command configured to cause substantial alignment of reception timing of uplink signals in frames and subframes of said secondary cell group at said base station.

18. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein said at least one message comprises at least one cell-add-modify information element, each of said at least one cell-add-modify information element comprises a first plurality of dedicated parameters in said plurality of dedicated parameters, said first plurality of dedicated parameters comprising a first cell index for a first secondary cell in said at least one secondary cell.

19. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein said at least one message comprises media access control dedicated parameters comprising a plurality of time alignment timer values, each time alignment timer value being associated with a unique cell group time alignment timer in said wireless device.

20. The wireless device of claim 12 , wherein said instructions further cause said wireless device to receive at least one control packet for providing transport format information, resource allocation information, and power control commands for transmission of a plurality of packets to be transmitted on a first data channel of said secondary cell, transmission power of said plurality of packets calculated employing, at least in part: a) said received power of said transmission power pathloss reference assigned to said secondary cell; and b) said power control commands.